


No Surprises Except for One

by laireshi



Category: Avengers Assemble (Cartoon)
Genre: Birthday Party, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-02
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-09-21 09:50:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17041487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/laireshi/pseuds/laireshi
Summary: It's hard finding a birthday gift for Steve, but just this year, Tony knows exactly what it's going to be.





	No Surprises Except for One

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Szarka](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Szarka/gifts).
  * Translation into 中文 available: [No Surprises Except for One](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17310515) by [Celeste_030](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Celeste_030/pseuds/Celeste_030)



There’s a _Happy Birthday Steve_ banner on the wall facing the windows. It’s been there for four days, in fact, because the team have learnt that Steve doesn’t enjoy surprises and Tony insisted on _Steve_ in place of _Cap_.

It looks like their careful planning worked. Steve looks relaxed and happy, watching as the rest of the team play cards. Tony sneaks one arm around Steve’s waist as he quickly picks up a cookie from his plate and puts it in his mouth immediately.

“Best part of dating you,” he says, not really intelligibly since he’s chewing, and continues once he swallows, “Getting to share the birthday cookies from Sam’s mum.”

“Oh?” Steve leans into him comfortably. “What about the rest of the year?”

“Fishing for compliments, Captain America?” Tony shakes his head. “It doesn’t become you.”

“Says the man calling his own tech genius every hour,” Steve says fondly. He offers Tony another cookie.

“One could think it’s my birthday,” Tony says around it.

“Your cookies were red and gold,” Steve reminds him. 

“True. Sam’s mum is awesome.” Tony looks at Steve. “Why are you not playing with them?”

“I’ve been waiting for you,” Steve says. 

Tony winces. “Sorry I’ve disappeared.”

“Hey, you’ve been there to sing _happy birthday_. I’m holding the recording hostage.” Steve looks at him. “I’ve copied it to VHS already and all. You know. The only kind of tech I can deal with.”

Tony jabs him between his ribs with his finger. “Quit the heresies.” He sighs. “And I _am_ sorry. It was an important call—”

“I know, you wouldn’t have taken it otherwise.” Steve presses a kiss to his cheek. “I _really_ don’t mind.”

“Okay.” Tony grins at him. “I’ll make it up to you later.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” Steve says, his gaze heated.

“Stop flirting,” Clint calls from across the room. “Is there any game we haven’t banned Tony from?”

“Twister,” Tony replies immediately.

“He told you to stop flirting,” Nat laughs. 

“Let’s watch something,” Steve says. “You always end up fighting when Tony plays cards.”

“Clint’s a sore loser,” Tony comments and then adds, “And the Hulk. And Thor.”

“Go on, put on The Two Towers,” Tony says. 

“Shouldn’t Steve decide?” Sam asks.

“I did think of that,” Steve admits, as Tony knew he would. He knows his tastes, after all.

At least with some things, which brings him to the problem here. He laces his fingers with Steve’s and leads him to the window so they can look at the beautiful view of New York together.

“Are you sure you don’t want to do anything special?” he asks. “This will be like any movie night.”

“No one contested my choice,” Steve says, “that’s definitely not like _any_ movie night.”

“Touché,” Tony says. “Really though, Steve. You’re a mystery on your birthday.”

“I like it simple,” Steve says, stroking Tony’s hand. “Spending time with you when no one’s attacking us is rare as it is; to be able to just stay in the Tower with my friends is the best gift of all.”

Tony pouts. “You do realise it’d be much easier for me if you had some extravagant wish.”

“If I had some extravagant wish that you know about, you wouldn’t wait until my birthday with fulfilling it,” Steve notes.

“I do my best,” Tony says. “Speaking of, I have another gift.”

“Tony, you really—”

Tony reaches into his pocket and pulls out the small velvet box in it. He goes down on one knee and opens it in front of Steve, who for once seems actually struck speechless.

He’s prepared this whole speech of how Steve’s his best friend and best partner and generally making Tony _better_ at everything, but he can’t remember the words now. He can only choke out, “Marry me?”

Steve kneels in front of him, shaking all over. “Yes.”

“Yes?” Tony repeats.

“Like you didn’t know my answer,” Steve says, and Tony, feeling terribly clumsy, manages to push the ring on Steve’s finger. It’s a simple gold band, nothing flashy. Tony wanted something that Steve would be comfortable wearing every day.

“I love you,” Tony says, still holding Steve’s hand as they kiss slowly: their first kiss as newly engaged men.

It’s great.

Except. “Ouch,” Tony says. “This floor isn’t made for kneeling on.”

Steve laughs breathlessly. He gets up and pulls Tony to his feet too. “Complaining like an old man,” he says.

“Watch it, Captain America,” Tony says. “Which birthday are we celebrating now? Is it one hundred already?”

“How can you be so mean to your fiancé?” Steve asks, holding his hand up so that the ring catches the light. It takes Tony’s breath away.

He steps back into Steve’s space and kisses him again and again. “Now, your next birthday will be a challenge again,” he says.

“You’ll think of something,” Steve answers in between kisses. “Even if I tell you not to worry, as I keep doing.”

“Complaining?”

“Not at all,” Steve says.

“Hey, Steve, Tony, we— _Tony, you were supposed to stop flirting, not make out with him_.” Clint covers his eyes with one hand in an exaggerated manner.

“Stop yelling at my fiancé,” Steve says with a straight face.

Clint stares. “Your what?” He raises his voice. “Guys, come here! Tony, _how did you keep it a secret?_ ”

Tony shrugs. “I had good motivation,” he says. “Best gift and all that.”

He leans into Steve, silently showing that what he said wasn’t his motivation at all. Love was. But Steve, of course, knows that.

Everyone comes running back, staring at them two.

“Are you telling us we should’ve planned an engagement party instead?” Nat asks.

“Mum would’ve made her special cookies!” Sam says.

“It was high time you did that,” Thor declares solemnly. 

“Hulk best man,” Hulk adds.

Tony nods, because how is he supposed to do anything else, and Steve clings at him, still overwhelmed. Tony gets it: so is he. It’s not like anything really _changed_ , but it is _different_ still.

The team joins them in a group hug, and Tony keeps smiling like crazy.

This is family.


End file.
